blog

May 1

Last week, we discussed the pace of change in the modern world and recognized that our ability to adapt is one key to future health. I ended the blog by acknowledging that stepping beyond comfort, seeking challenges, and even embracing discomfort might be important tactics to keep our edge. Then, right on cue and as if the cosmos were listening, a new large-scale and long-term study published in the British Medical Journal popped onto my radar and reinforced the idea. 

Let's start with a recap of what we know:

(1) Physical activity has proven to be one of our best tactics for lowering the risk of injuries and diseases we face.

(2) While getting the proper dosage matters, the benefit is not linear; most of the benefit occurs early on in the session, and more is not always better, meaning there is a sweet spot. Most research suggests that between 7,000-10,000 steps per day or 150 minutes per week at moderate intensity is the sweet-spot for the general population.

(3) Concentrating physical activity - either by increasing intensity to decrease total time required (e.g., 75 minutes of vigorous activity) or by compressing it into a shorter window (e.g., the weekend warrior effect) - is effective and may even add extra benefits in some cases.

(4) Since longer-term adaptation takes time, consistency is key.

Which brings us to the next open question: Is there a "best" way to MOVE? 

This was the essential question that a multinational research team with contributors from Harvard's school of public health set out to answer when they pooled two large datasets - the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study - into one massive dataset. Combined, the data included the physical activity habits of more than 100,000 people for over 30 years, totaling 2.4 million person-years. What they found was both more of the same and a new twist on the idea.

First, and literally more of the same, the team found that to lower our risk of major diseases like heart disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases, we need to move more. After statistically scrubbing other lifestyle factors associated with being active- such as being less likely to smoke, more likely to eat healthier diets, more likely to drink alcohol, and more likely to maintain strong social connections - the most active group benefited across almost all activity types. Compared to individuals in the lowest category of physical activity, those who recorded the most weekly activity enjoyed risk reductions of 17% from walking, 15% from tennis or squash, 14% from rowing or calisthenics, 13% from weight training, resistance exercise, or running, 11% from jogging, 10% from climbing stairs, and 4% from cycling.  In fact, swimming was the only activity whose participation level showed no significant difference between groups; the risk remained about the same whether someone swam a little or a lot. 

Interestingly, mixing things up appeared to provide an even stronger benefit than doing more of the same. After adjusting for total physical activity levels, participants in the group with the most variety had a 19% lower risk of dying during the study period compared with those in the group with the lowest variety; this reduction ranged from 13% to 41% depending on the disease studied.

As it turns out, the best way to MOVE is all of the above, as often as you get the opportunity. Run, jump, lift, carry, row, ride, or walk - whatever you can make work for you today will ultimately work for future-you, too.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.